Dispensing device



p 1957 H. K. ROBINSON ET AL 2,805,663

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1954 DISPENSING DEVICE Harry K. Robinson and Mary F. Robinson, Norwood, Mass.

Application November 19, 1954, Serial No. 470,046

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-252) The present invention relates to dispensing devices for filled containers of baby food, the containers being of the type normally closed by a snap-down closure member.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing nipple to be used on baby food containers which are already filled and marketed in filled condition, the contents of which are semifluid and heretofore have been transferred to a dish for feeding purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a nipple to be used on filled containers of baby food, the nipple being provided with a special orifice especially adapted for dispensing semisolid food.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device for attachment to containers which have an annular groove in the exterior face of the neck of the container for accommodating the inwardly bent snap-down closure member such as provided by the manufacturer of the food.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device for baby food containers which can be used with a standard flanged flexible nipple.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side view in cross section showing the present invention attached to a baby food container,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 4 is a side view partially in cross section of another container having the second embodiment of the present invention attached thereto,

Figure 5 is a modified form of the orifice in plan view,

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the nipple showing the modified form of the orifice of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a still further modification of the orifice of the present invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the dispensing device of the present invention, in the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, consists of a hollow body 10 having a depending ring portion 11 on which is formed an inwardly directed shoulder 12. The ring portion 11 is at the lower end of the body 10 and the shoulder 12 is adjacent the end of the ring portion 11 with a grip member 13 extending downwardly from the end of the ring portion 11.

The hollow body 10 includes an upwardly projecting nipple portion 14 at the end of which is formed an orifice 15, the walls of which are tapered, the nipple portion 14 having a base 31 which is carried by the other end of the body 10.

The widest portion of the orifice 15 is within the body 10. This permits the orifice to be restricted but will be expanded whenever the nipple portion 14 is chewed upon nite States Patent Ice 2 by the child. A sefnifluid baby food is readily sucked from the nipple portion 14;

In the second embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the body 16 is shown to have an integrally formed skirt 17 which forms the grip memher by means of which the body 16 is pulled down over the neck of a container, indicated by the reference numeral 18 so that the shoulder 19 adjacent to the one end of the body 16 is seated within the groove 20 formed in the neck of the container.

In Figure 5 the orifice 21 in the end of the nipple 22 is formed with tapering walls 23 tapering from the'interior of the nipple 22 outwardly. In this embodiment, the orifice 21 is a slot.

In Figure 7 is shown an orifice 24 formed in the shape of a V, and also having tapering walls as indicated by the dotted lines 24. The nipple 24 of this embodiment, may be used with either of the hollow bodies 10 or 16 as is desired.

The nipple shown in Figures 1 and 2, is further formed with a flange portion 26 which is positioned inwardly of and spaced from the ring portion 11, the flange portion bearing against the shelf 30 carried by the base 31 of the nipple portion 14 with the part adjacent the perimeter seated in a groove 32 formed in the base 31 adjacent the shelf 30.

The hollow body seen in Figures 3 and 4 is provided with an orifice 27 of circular shape but having tapering walls, the same as the orifice 21 and the orifice 24.

The invention in any of its embodiments will accommodate the semisolid or semiliquid baby foodsuch as soups and meat mixtures, fruits, and other foods which are provided in a strained form. The present invention permits the use of the manufacturers container without transferring the food to a dish. The manufacturers container may be heated with its convention closure member provided by the manufacturer, and the dispensing device of the present invention may be attached to the container with the cap or lid of the container removed without subjecting the food contained in the container to conditions in which its normally sterile condition is disturbed.

While only preferred embodiments of the present invention are here shown and described, other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with a filled container having an annular groove in the exterior face of the neck, a dispensing device comprising a hollow body terminating in a ring portion and a shoulder projecting from the inner face of said ring portion for engaging the groove of said container, a flange portion on said body positioned inwardly of and spaced from the ring portion, an upwardly projecting nipple portion having a base, a shelf carried by said base, said flange portion bearing against said shelf with the part adjacent the perimeter seated in a groove formed in said base adjacent said shelf, said nipple portion being provided with a dispensing orifice, and an outwardly flaring grip member connected to said ring portion for pulling the latter over the neck of a container with said shoulder seated in said groove.

2. For use with a filled container having an annular groove in the exterior face of the neck, a dispensing device comprising a hollow body terminating in a ring portion and a shoulder projecting from the inner face of said ring portion for engaging the groove of said container, at flange portion on said body positioned inwardly of and spaced from the ring portion, an upwardly projecting nipple portion having a base, a shelf carried by said base,

said flange portion bearing against said shelf with the part 7 adjacent the perimeter seated in a groove formed in said base adjacent said shelf, said nipple portion being pro- 7 vided witha dispensing orifice, and an outwardly flaring grip member connectedto said ring portion for pulling the latter over the neck of a container with said shoulder 5 seated in said groove. r

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

